1 of 6
Buffer Depletion

How much do you have saved for emergencies?

2 of 6
Buffer Depletion

Have you withdrawn from retirement savings to pay bills in the past year?

3 of 6
Debt Stress

How many bills or loan payments are you currently behind on?

4 of 6
Financial Conditions

If you needed $2,000 for an emergency, how easy would it be to get?

5 of 6
Cost Pressure

Over the past year, have your essential costs (food, housing, healthcare) grown faster than your income?

6 of 6
Labor Market

How secure is your current income?

How This Works

The American Distress Index tracks national household financial distress across five dimensions: Buffer Depletion (savings erosion), Debt Stress (missed payments), Financial Conditions (credit access), Cost Pressure (essential expenses vs. income), and Labor Market (income stability).

This quiz applies the same five-component framework to your personal situation. Each question maps to one ADI component, weighted the same way the national index is calculated. Your result is a personal exposure score on the same 0-100 scale.

The national ADI currently reads 59.0 (Elevated). Learn how the index is calculated.

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If you're struggling with debt or facing foreclosure, free help is available. Find help near you · Browse the Glossary · The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides HUD-approved housing counselors at no cost. You can also call 1-800-569-4287.